About the candidates

Occupation: Director of the Center for Public Policy at Concordia University and Newport Beach city councilman

Matthew Harper

Age: 39

City of residence: Huntington Beach

Occupation: Real estate broker and mayor of Huntington Beach

Karina Onofre

Age: 31

City of residence: Irvine

Occupation: owner of an H&R Block franchise

Emanuel Patrascu

Age: 32

City of residence: Laguna Beach

Occupation: District director for Assemblyman Travis Allen

COSTA MESA – While the four Republican candidates for the 74th District Assembly seat mostly agreed about fiscal matters, their differences flared during discussions about immigration reform and beach fire pits at a Thursday night forum.

Matthew Harper of Huntington Beach, Keith Curry of Newport Beach, Karina Onofre of Irvine, and Emanuel Patrascu of Laguna Beach sketched out their largely conservative positions at the Halecrest Park Swim and Tennis Club, in a meeting organized by the NewportMesa Tea Party in Costa Mesa.

The four are vying for the seat, held by Allan Mansoor, that includes portions of Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach and Laguna Woods. Mansoor is running for the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Harper, 39, the mayor of Huntington Beach, told the more than 75 people gathered that he has Mansoor’s endorsement.

When the discussion turned to fire rings, Harper and Patrascu, currently representing beach cities, had strong opinions favoring them.

Patrascu, 32, district director for Assemblyman Travis Allen, R-Huntington Beach, said he helped write a bill now pending in the state Legislature that would prevent air-quality regulators from having a say over beach bonfires. In March, a rule enacted by the South Coast Air Quality Management District will generally ban most beach bonfires within 700 feet of homes.

Harper said he also supports the bill as a way to limit regulation.

“Some bureaucrat is telling us what to do with our beach fire rings,” he said.

Curry, 58, who voted with his fellow Newport Beach council members in November to remove about 33 rings on the city’s beaches, said the issue should be left up to each city. He pointed out that the pending bill does give a regulator – the California Coastal Commission – a say over fire rings.

The candidates also disagreed on immigration reform.

Patrascu, whose family sought asylum here from Romania when he was a child, urged greater protection at the borders and stepped up enforcement of existing laws.

Curry and 31-year-old Onofre, an H&R Block franchise owner, said they support work permits for undocumented immigrants who wish to remain here, as long as they pay a fine. Harper opposed amnesty, work permits and state benefits for the undocumented.

Still, the candidates found areas of agreement. All vowed to cut high taxes and excessive regulation. These policies, they said, are driving businesses away and have led to a statewide unemployment rate of 8.7 percent, one of the highest in the nation.

“The state is sending jobs off to Texas,” Curry said. “This has got to stop.”

Curry cited the need to cut state income and sales taxes and protect Proposition 13, the 1978 initiative that limits the tax rate on real estate.

Onofre said she would spark a second California gold rush by doing away with corporate taxes for 11 years.

All candidates were given time to address the audience, and Harper was quick to stake out conservative positions on social issues.

“I’m pro-life. I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. I believe in the right to bear arms.”

Patrascu said Republicans “must fight” for their ideas and principles. He said they must fight to win more seats in the Assembly, where they hold only 25 out of 80 seats, if they’re to accomplish much of anything.

But if Republicans want to increase their foothold, Onofre said, the party must look to Hispanic candidates like her.

“I represent the growing majority. I represent the future of the party.”

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